2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 - Form, Function & Fun

Showtime Metal Works Does it Again

Showtime Metal Works sure knows their way around a sheet of steel. Building high-quality bumpers, LED-ready grilles, and suspension pieces using thick steel and plasma cutters, these guys go as beefy as they can. When they build a truck the intent is to build it as strong as a bulldozer. Utilizing all the high-strength steel that is available, the STMW boys like to push things far beyond the limits of a normal build, since that’s the only way they know. This ’07 Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax was no different. It was built to handle anything that could be thrown at it.

The 6.6L Duramax was already strong enough to launch itself into next week, but an AEM cold-air intake was added, as was a PCV reroute, an EGR block-off plate, EFI Live, and an Air Dog fuel pump and filter to get that diesel flowing a little faster.

The front and rear driveshaft were touched up by Drive Shafts Unlimited as the front received a custom slip-yoke, and the rear got strengthened to handle the extra force that was soon to be expected of it. The transfer case was a Ford NP273 custom machined to bolt to an Allison transmission, indexed 8 degrees. The rearend is a GM 14-bolt, with a Yukon ring-and-pinion gear, sporting a 4.88:1 ratio.

To bring this beast up to the desired height following the solid axle conversion, the suspension had to be dialed in with a Hellwig front sway bar, Fox 12-inch dual-rate coilovers and dual steering stabilizers. XXX Traction front high steer knuckle and spindles were a must, with 1¼-inch Vi-King rod ends front and rear, and 2-inch wheel spacers front and rear to accommodate the 22x14 American Force Evades sporting 40x15R22 Nitto Mud Grapplers. The rear got treated to 10-inch Atlas Arch Springs with no blocks, Fox 2.0 remote reservoir shocks, a STMW traction bar, with the rear axles and leaves getting a coat of paint.

The exterior had to look as tough as the truck was expected to perform, so a simple yet effective paint scheme was devised in the form of DuPont Chroma Base, with small camo areas on the doors, bedsides, and tailgate sprayed using Silver Birch base, GM Storm Gray, custom mixed Dark Green Metallic, and custom mixed Light Silver Metallic, all laid down by ASID Graphics. A STMW front bumper was added with color-matched skidplates and double-stacked Rogue LED combo lightbars, Spyder headlights, and a RBP front grille tie up the front end, while color-matched door handles, SnugTop, a BedRug, an STMW rear bumper, and a chrome monster hook round out the rear.

The interior was treated to a SPEK triple gauge pod, Katzkin Gray Stone with black alligator inserts, charcoal gray carpet, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The dash and center console were color matched to the exterior, and the passenger grab bar was decked out in black suede. The sound system received an equal amount of attention as a Kenwood touch screen head unit with reverse camera was installed. A Wet Sounds 420 equalizer was mounted in the center console and Wet Sounds XS-650 6.5-inch speakers went into custom-molded pods. Behind the rear seat is a custom sub/amp enclosure with two 10-inch Wet Sounds XS 10 FA subs, with four more Wet Sounds Rev 10s, and two Wet Sounds Syn-4 amps going in the bed.

“This was such a fun build! Once we were done, we could not wait to drive the hell out of it!” Said Brandon, “We wanted the look of a clean, lifted truck with the function of a long-travel independent suspension, and with the addition of the solid axle conversion to give it the strength of a bulldozer!” This just goes to show that both strength and style can go hand in hand.